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I've got your book on How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 and I was wondering if it's possible to sand with Porter Cable 7424XP instead of the Flex for pontoons. I only ask because I already have the PC all set up with 3" Abralon discs. Also, I know in the book you are again using the Flex for buffing process, is there any way I can do this without having to buy a new machine for almost $400? Thanks!

I've got your book on How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 and I was wondering if it's possible to sand with Porter Cable 7424XP instead of the Flex for pontoons.

I only ask because I already have the PC all set up with 3" Abralon discs.

Yes of course you can machine sand with the Porter Cable.

I just re-read that section and I can't believe I didn't mention or state that the machine sanding of a pontoon boat could be done using any dual action polishers.

So everything I state and show about machine sanding a gel-coat boat in the section,

Category #4: Severely Oxidized and Neglected Gel-coat boats

Would apply to machine sanding pontoon boats.

I think the point I was trying to make in the machine sanding section for pontoon boats was that by having the FLEX 3401 a person could do every step with only the FLEX 3401.

This means the sanding and ALL of the machine polishing step.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseB

Also, I know in the book you are again using the Flex for buffing process, is there any way I can do this without having to buy a new machine for almost $400? Thanks!

Normally a person would use a rotary buffer for the machine polishing steps after machine or hand sanding but this leaves holograms while the FLEX 3401 doesn't.

So "yes" you can do all the machine sanding using your Porter Cable but to remove your sanding marks you're going to need either a rotary buffer to start with and then finish with your Porter Cable to avoid holograms in the aluminum or the FLEX 3401.

If you finish out with the #3000 and/or #4000 Abralon disc you can remove the sanding mark pattern using your Porter Cable polisher but it's going to take a lot more time and a lot more work and a lot more pads because the PC simply doesn't have the power of a gear driven tool like the rotary buffer or the FLEX 3401.

That's one of the reasons the FLEX 3401 is $400.00 and the Porter Cable is $115.00

But when the aluminum is all shiny again not only does she look cool but she's easier to clean and maintain into the future.

Most definitely, very rewarding project.

Didn't take a picture before the sanding process, but you can see where I removed swirls from rotary using the DA. To the left of the line and bottom were not finished. Took about 30 hours...probably cut that down by 5-10 hours for next one.